Tasmanian restaurants no longer need to set their score by reviews
TASMANIAN restaurants no longer need to set their score by food reviewers, says Graeme Phillips.
Food and Wine
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HIP Hobart restaurant Franklin was the only Tasmanian eatery on Gourmet Traveller’s Top 100 list, released earlier this week, coming in at number 35.
However, the Mercury’s food and wine writer Graeme Phillips says reviews no longer make or break restaurants the way they once did.
“There’s so many reviewers these days with bloggers and social media, everyone is photographing their food and putting it on Facebook,” he said.
“The danger in that, and it’s already happening, that there are false reviews on social media and they can be very damaging even though they’re not authentic reviews.”
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Gourmet Traveller praised Franklin’s slick timber and concrete interior created by owners David Moyle and Ben Lindell as well as the focus on Tasmanian produce and the Scotch oven method of cooking.
“David has been cooking for a long time, he lives it, so I think that has a lot to do with the success,” Mr Lindell told the Mercury.
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Gourmet Traveller also revealed Tasmania’s top 10 restaurants, with very few surprises. New entries included Three Japanese in Elizabeth St, and Frank, the funky new Argentinian restaurant on the waterfront by the owners of Smolt.
SEE THE FULL TOP 10 BELOW
Mr Phillips said the best thing about the Gourmet Traveller’s state list was that it showed the variety of Tasmanian restaurants.
“There’s Japanese there, there’s everything from contemporary to traditional and that reflects a big leap forward in Tasmania’s culinary scene.”
Mr Phillips believes a good dining experience needs to assessed on a number of criteria.
“It’s about the food, the service, the wine, the decor and the ambience that’s created. It doesn’t have to be silver service but it has to be professional. The food has to be well done, imaginative and innovative,” he said.
Frank manager Jake Snepvangers said he was thrilled by the restaurant’s first time on the Gourmet Traveller’s best in the state list.
“We’ve only been open 10 months so we’re excited for the future of Frank,” he said.
“Our ethos of a relaxed dining experience with platters of food to share where people can eat, drink and be merry is being supported.
“It’s a good sign that even in the middle of winter we are fully booked.”
Asked about his own top 10, Mr Phillips included Frogmore Creek restaurant at the Cambridge winery of the same name.
Head chef Ruben Koopman moved from Holland two years ago and is creating a gourmet food experience unlike any other in Tasmania.
“We’re a bit under the radar out here in Cambridge but we don’t care too much about that,” he said.
Tasmanian produce is internationally renowned and consistently wins awards, most recently from delicious, Australia’s highest-selling food magazine.
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Yet the state’s restaurants have not won the same trophy cabinet of awards.
Mr Phillips said: “It’s a flow-on affect that chefs who work for a good chef start their own place and pass those good lessons on and it snowballs. Places like Sydney and Melbourne are so much bigger so there’s more scope.”
Sydney eatery Rockpool was named Australia’s Restaurant of the Year.
Gourmet Traveller chief restaurant critic Pat Nourse said: “The overall standard in this country, whether it’s in cafes, bars, casual eateries or the finest of diners, is on the up, and that’s a win for Australians who love eating out.”
Gourmet Traveller top 10 restaurants in Tasmania
1. Franklin
2. Stillwater
3. Me Wah
4. Lebrina
5. Ethos Eat Drink
6. Three Japanese
7. Westend Pumphouse
8. The Source
9. Black Cow Bistro
10. Frank
Graeme Phillips’ top 10
1. Lebrina
2. Frogmore Creek
3. Ethos Eat Drink
4. Stillwater
5. La Provençal
6. Three Japanese
7. The Source
8. Berta
9. Me Wah
10. Mrs Jones (Devonport)
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